Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works June 18 20021 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Public Works and Capital Projects Committee June 18, 2002 The meeting was called to order at 1:50 p.m. by Committee Chair Barbara Brenner in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington, Present: Absent: Laurie Caskey- Schreiber None Sam Crawford Also Present: Dan McShane COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL 1. WORK SESSION ON THE PROPOSED 2003 -2008 SIX -YEAR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (AB2002 -239) Bruce Mills, Assistant Director of Engineering, stated that by law, the County has to adopt a six -year transportation improvement program each year. It is a planning document for the next six years. The one they are looking at this year will be for the years 2003 through 2008. He submitted a draft copy of the plan and a map. When they know the type of matching funds they are going to get, the first one or two years of the six -year plan is set. They know what type of projects they've received grants for. As they go further into the program, it becomes a wish list. Staff puts together this list by going through a priority array. They look at all of the roads in the county to determine the types of accidents that have occurred, the condition of the roads, the width of the roads, and other factors. The discussion is to give the Council an opportunity to look at the draft, ask some questions, and allow the public to give some input. One group from Point Roberts wants to talk about trails. He's hopeful that comments would be back to him by July 2. There will be a public hearing on July 16. Roy stated she's had phone calls from the Blaine Mayor and the Birch Bay Planning Subcommittee Chair about Lincoln Road. Mills stated he's moved that project up on the list. Caskey- Schreiber asked what the circles represent on the map. Mills stated the circles on the map represent bridges or intersections that they are looking to approve. The blue lines indicate the projects they intend to work on in 2003. Public Works and Capital Projects Committee, 6/18/2002, Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 it 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. Caskey- Schreiber stated they need a signal at the intersection of E. Pole and Hannegan roads. That intersection backs up for a mile and a half every night. It is a nightmare. Mills stated that two years ago, the State asked him if the County would be willing to cost -share in a signal there. Pole Road is a State route. Hannegan Road is a County road. He told the State that the County would be willing to do that. He has not heard from the State since. He will contact the State to find out what is going on. McShane referenced the Lincoln Road, project number 13. He can sort of understand the rationale of why they might want to put a road there. Mills stated there is not a road to connect the Harborview and Blaine roads. McShane stated the idea is that it would take traffic from the Drayton Harbor and Birch Bay - Lynden Road. Mills stated that Drayton Harbor Road rated high for needing improvements, but it is also right next to the shore, has wetlands on it, and it will be expensive and difficult to permit and build. It seemed that this is a more logical way to go. That way, they only have to do maintenance work on the Drayton Harbor Road. McShane referenced item number 45. Mills stated that project is a proposed route to connect Birch Bay Village traffic to Semiahmoo Parkway. This will require cooperation with the City of Blaine. The connection point will be in Blaine. McShane asked about a possible cost share for that project. Mills stated they could have a cost share with the City of Blaine. This is also adjacent to the property that Trillium owns. He keeps hearing that they are going to do something with this. It's on the list, but it depends on the developer. Typically, a developer would have to build a road, a portion of a road, or contribute toward the County building a road. The County does traffic mitigation for developments through voluntary contributions. It makes it difficult to negotiate because it is not a firm impact fee. The Planning Commission is bringing forward language to the County Council about collecting impact fees. Brenner stated the County should not allow any more urban growth areas or annexations with any cities that don't provide bike paths or trails into cities. There is a County road with a great shoulder for riding a bike. As soon as it gets to the Ferndale city limits, it becomes the most dangerous area. According to the parks director at Hovander Homestead Park, there are no bike trails anywhere in the City of Ferndale. No one is forcing the cities to take in more area. If they feel they can handle it, this needs to happen. The County should have a policy about that. Caskey- Schreiber asked where they closed off Lake Terrell Road with British Petroleum (BP). Mills stated the County has recently done two road closures with BP. Henry Road to the west of Powder Plant Road was closed. Also, Lonseth Road was closed to the west. The most recent one just closed is Powder Plant Road north of Lonseth Road, up to Aldergrove. It closed Aldergrove to Jackson Road. Public Works and Capital Projects Committee, 6/18/2002, Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. Caskey- Schreiber asked if that forces cars onto Kickerville Road. Mills stated it does. They can still access the beach from either Lonseth or Henry Roads from Power Plant Road. Caskey- Schreiber asked how they could access the new road. Mills stated it is accessed mainly from Grandview Road. Rainbow Road was recently created. It doesn't show on the map. Brenner asked where the Trillium road vacation is located at where they want to do residential development. Mills indicated the location on a map. Brenner stated Trillium said that they needed the vacation because they need to do a comprehensive industrial park, and the vacation will assist them to set up an industrial park. Mills stated he believed that is what their intention was. McShane stated there are three roads with green dashes on the map that are potential connectors. He asked whether they really need to have them on the list. He can understand the Slater- Meridian connector. There might be some logic to the Grandview -Pole connector. They are running a road across the Nooksack flood plain and it would require a major bridge. He asked for the reasoning of these connectors. Mills stated they are on the list for planning purposes, not construction. They are only there if, at some point, something draws into a more formal plan. A couple of years ago, they came close to doing a next step plan on the Whatcom connector. It was taken off at the last moment. The Whatcom connector has been left as the last item on the plan for several years. The Council can remove it from the list. If they want to take any of them off, don't take off the Slater connector. As soon as the City figures out what to do with Cordata, they are going to wind up getting something through there. The Grandview -Pole connector was discussed in the context of Cherry Point development, and that it makes sense to have an east -west connector there. Brenner stated they do need more east -west connectors, but it would be expensive. There is no way around it. There is a major road on either side, and it would connect well. Caskey- Schreiber stated there is some fertile farmland there. That route would go through agricultural land. Brenner stated she didn't know if it would interfere with that use. She asked if roads are something they don't want to have in an agricultural area. Mills stated not necessarily. Caskey- Schreiber moved to recommend eliminating the Whatcom connector from the plan. Motion carried 2 -0 with Crawford absent. Public Works and Capital Projects Committee, 6/18/2002, Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. Michael Rosser, Point Robert, submitted a letter (on file) regarding Tyee Drive and Benson Road. He proposed a multi -use path within the roadway easement that would connect the border crossing with Monument Park. The trail loop would consist of dedicated paths and existing roadway shoulders, making a complete loop beginning and ending at the border crossing. Fund the trail with monies unused for the widening of Tyee Drive. He will seek State and federal funds to develop connecting path segments that are safer and more aesthetically appealing than roadside shoulders. This is a key factor in economic development for Point Roberts. Also consider developing a comprehensive non - motorized transportation plan for Point Roberts. Brenner stated they should request that the Port of Bellingham also contribute. Mills stated the County can spend Road fund money within the right -of -way if they choose to put a path in instead of a shoulder next to the road. It will cost a bit more because it's not adjacent to the road, and the maintenance costs will be higher. It does provide an added safety factor in separating the bikes and pedestrians from traffic. If they make the shoulders wider, they wouldn't be able to get Port money. He would have to ask the Port if they are interested in contributing to a trail. They can put an item in the six -year plan for a Point Roberts trail. It doesn't have to have a lot of money to make it eligible for the list. He will adjust this plan to bring it forward to the Council. Brenner stated she would like to put it on the list. Rosser stated that goal four in the Point Roberts Subarea Plan is about developing a trail network in Point Roberts. There is a lot of support for it. There is money already there for it, because Tyee will not really be widened. Mills stated they've budgeted money for Tyee, but there isn't a need to widen it right now. Brenner asked if they could put the Tyee Drive money into this now. Mills stated the money is just Road fund money. If it isn't used for Tyee, it will stay in the Road fund. This is not money that has been sitting there waiting for Tyee Drive. There is money in the Road fund at this point. The first phase of this proposed trail is a bike path along Tyee Drive. In the future, if they do widen Tyee Drive, this proposed project will make it cheaper to widen Tyee because they wouldn't have to widen Tyee as much. Brenner asked if there would be ongoing maintenance. Mills stated it depends on the surface that they put down. If it is paved, they will hopefully only have to do a minimal amount of sweeping. Brenner asked what is between the road and path if the path is in the right - of -way. Mills stated there is typically only a ditch. Brenner asked if there have been any safety studies done about having a good, wide shoulder. She asked if there are any statistics to show how many Public Works and Capital Projects Committee, 6/18/2002, Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. people are killed or injured by cars rather than by a ditch. She wants to see if there is a measurable safety issue. Mills stated he would look into it. Rosser stated he is asking also that the Benson Road right -of -way also have a trail put through it. The road is not yet through. It is a proposed road. Much of those easements have already been purchased. There are some small sections that aren't purchased. If they purchase the small segments now, they can have a completely separate trail from the main intersection of town to the other side of the Point. That would create the Monument Park loop. Mills indicated the location on the map. The County could purchase a quarter -mile of right -of -way to complete the loop. Rosser stated the transitional zones have options for development. One option is to create trails. Brenner stated her only concerned is whether they will limit where a road can go if they put in trails. Mills stated they don't do separated trails. They've just put in wide shoulders that have multiple uses. Brenner asked if it is more efficient to do the trail when the road develops. Mills stated it is, especially on Point Roberts. It is very costly to do construction up there. The commitment that they are asking for is to put a path along Tyee and supply the remaining easements or right -of -way along the westerly extension of Benson Road. Rosser stated that if they acquire the easements, it will make road development for the County easier in the future. If they can simply acquire the easements, they don't necessarily need the County to build the trail. There are other possibilities to do that. The Parks Department put trails in Monument Park this summer with 800 Boy Scouts. The County Parks Department is willing to take up maintenance work. He's spoken to Roger DeSpain about it. This is part of a bigger scheme. If the County can help them get started, there are lots of places they can go to get funding and help. Brenner asked Mr. Mills to look into this. Mills stated he could include it as an item for discussion on July 16, 2002. OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m. Public Works and Capital Projects Committee, 6/18/2002, Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription ATTEST: Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Barbara Brenner, Committee Chair Public Works and Capital Projects Committee, 6/18/2002, Page 6